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What Industries Are Affected by the New UK Age Verification Laws – And Why Compliance Is Essential

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Starting 25th July 2025, the UK government will enforce strict new age verification regulations aimed at protecting children from harmful online content. These laws require websites offering age-restricted products or services to verify the age of their users before granting access. Failure to comply could result in penalties of up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover.

But what exactly does this mean for your business? Below, we break down the industries most affected and why acting now is crucial.

1. Adult Content Websites

Any platform hosting or linking to sexually explicit content will be directly impacted. This includes pornography websites, erotic blogs, adult forums, and dating platforms with NSFW features. The law mandates that users must prove they are 18 or older before gaining access—cookie popups and disclaimers are no longer enough.

2. Vape & E-Cigarette Retailers

Online vape stores must implement robust age verification systems to prevent underage sales. Whether selling e-liquids, vape pens, or accessories, these businesses are legally required to confirm that customers are over 18 at point of access, not just at checkout.

3. Gambling & Betting Platforms

From sports betting sites to online casinos, gambling platforms have long been regulated—but the new laws go further. Age verification must now occur before any gameplay or deposit takes place, regardless of whether the user eventually places a bet.

4. CBD, Hemp & Cannabis Product Sites

CBD oil, edibles, and hemp products are increasingly popular, but they remain age-restricted in many regions. UK retailers selling these items online must ensure visitors are 18+ before they can browse product pages or make a purchase.

5. Firearm, Knife, and Hunting Equipment Retailers

Websites that sell hunting gear, knives, or firearm-related equipment must verify users’ age prior to access. This includes air rifles, archery supplies, and tactical gear. The regulations apply even if the products are intended for sport or display.

6. Escort & Adult Services Directories

Escort agencies and adult entertainment directories that advertise 18+ services are also required to verify user age. Simply placing a warning on the homepage is no longer acceptable under the new legislation.

Why Is Compliance So Important?

The UK government has made it clear that these new rules are not optional. Sites that fail to comply risk:

  • Being blocked by UK internet service providers
  • Fines up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover
  • Reputational damage and loss of consumer trust

These laws are designed to create a safer internet for everyone, particularly children. Businesses that comply early show leadership and a commitment to online safety.

How 18Verified Can Help

18Verified offers an affordable, privacy-focused age verification solution that keeps you compliant without sacrificing user experience. Our unique model charges the user £2/month for access to all participating sites, saving businesses thousands in pay-per-check fees.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get compliant now.

👉 Join 18Verified today and protect your business before the deadline hits.

Why Age Assurance Technology Is Key to Safety by Design | 18Verified

Posted on by admin@18verified

Why Age Assurance Technology Is Key to Safety by Design and Age-Appropriate Online Experiences

Published on 20 November, the UK Government’s Draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for Online Safety outlines its goals for creating safer digital environments. At the core of these priorities is age assurance technology—a key enabler of age-appropriate, privacy-first online experiences.

Understanding the Government’s Online Safety Priorities

  • Safety by Design: Build safer platforms by default, especially for children, and eliminate safe havens for illegal content such as abuse or disinformation.
  • Transparency & Accountability: Ensure tech companies are held responsible for their safety outcomes.
  • Agile Regulation: Monitor and tackle emerging threats like AI-generated content and fraud.
  • Inclusivity & Resilience: Promote digital literacy and social resilience against online harms.
  • Innovation: Encourage the growth of online safety technologies to protect users and promote digital trust.

The Role of Safety by Design

Safety by Design is a proactive framework that integrates safety features from the start of digital product development. However, designing effective safeguards depends on knowing the age of users. Without it, platforms can’t provide suitable protections for children, teens, or adults.

What Is Age Assurance?

Age assurance includes technologies that verify or estimate a user’s age to ensure access to age-appropriate content. These include:

  • AI-powered age estimation (facial or behavioural)
  • ID verification checks
  • Email-based age estimation

Unlike outdated self-declaration methods (“Are you 18+?”), modern age assurance is privacy-preserving, accurate, and designed to minimise friction for users.

How Age Assurance Supports Safer Online Experiences

1. Preventing Harmful Content Exposure

Platforms can restrict adult content, ads, and interactions for under-18s, shielding them from inappropriate material.

2. Tailored Experiences by Age

Children can access curated content and strict privacy controls, while teens may receive tools like reporting features or limited messaging options.

3. Empowering Parental Controls

Accurate age data enables effective parental oversight while supporting a child’s independence.

4. Legal Compliance

Regulations like the UK Online Safety Act and EU Digital Services Act require platforms to design with minors in mind. Age assurance is mandatory for regulatory compliance.

5. Building Trust and Transparency

With stronger protections, users and parents can trust platforms more, strengthening brand loyalty and industry credibility.

Balancing Safety with Privacy

Effective age assurance must respect user privacy. At 18Verified, our solutions include anonymised and GDPR-compliant tools like:

  • Email-based age estimation
  • Photo ID matching
  • Facial age estimation
  • Mobile network and credit card checks

The Future of Age Assurance Technology

As safety standards evolve, age assurance is becoming the digital default. Platforms that adopt these technologies now will stay ahead of compliance demands, avoid fines, and provide better user experiences.

Powered by AI and machine learning, tools like email-based age estimation are fast, frictionless, and preferred by users worldwide. With 99.94% of users having email access, it’s the most inclusive option on the market today.

Conclusion: Age Assurance Is a Digital Imperative

Age assurance technology isn’t just about compliance—it’s about responsibility. It’s the cornerstone of delivering age-appropriate, inclusive, and safe online spaces. As outlined in the Government’s strategy, platforms must act now to embed age assurance into their services by design.

At 18Verified, we help businesses implement highly effective age assurance systems that comply with UK regulations while protecting user privacy. Contact us today to learn more.

Ofcom Confirms Email-Based Age Estimation as a Compliant Solution for Pornography Sites Under the Online Safety Act

Posted on by admin@18verified

On 16 January 2025, Ofcom released its long-awaited official guidance on age assurance for adult content platforms under the UK Online Safety Act (OSA). The new rules require pornography sites—starting with platforms that publish their own content—to demonstrate they are protecting children from accessing explicit material online.

Crucially, the guidance confirms that users will not need to upload ID documents. Instead, Ofcom supports innovative age assurance methods such as email-based age estimation—a low-friction, privacy-first solution now recognised as fully compliant.

In this article, we break down the key takeaways from Ofcom’s announcement and explain why email-based age estimation, pioneered by 18Verified’s technology partner Verifymy, is the future of online compliance for adult content providers.

What Does the Online Safety Act Require?

The Online Safety Act (OSA) is a UK law that mandates all online services, including adult content platforms, to implement highly effective age assurance solutions to prevent children from accessing pornography.

The Two Service Categories

  • Part 5 Services: Platforms that publish their own pornographic content (e.g. studios, pay sites)
  • Part 3 Services: Sites that host user-generated adult content (e.g. tube sites, cam platforms, fan sites)

Key Compliance Deadlines

DateRequirement
January 2025Part 5 services must begin implementing highly effective age assurance. Part 3 services must assess children’s access risks.
April 2025Ofcom will publish the Protection of Children Codes and guidance.
July 2025All services must have a compliant age assurance system in place.

To enforce compliance, Ofcom has launched an Age Assurance Enforcement Programme, requiring all relevant providers to confirm their compliance status by 5 March 2025.

What Is “Highly Effective” Age Assurance?

To meet Ofcom’s standard, age assurance solutions must be:

  • Technically accurate
  • Robust
  • Reliable
  • Fair

Accepted methods include:

  • Email-based age estimation ✅
  • Facial age estimation
  • Mobile operator checks
  • Open banking
  • Photo ID checks
  • Digital identity services
  • Credit card checks

⚠️ Self-declaration is not accepted.

Why Email-Based Age Estimation Is a Game-Changer

Among the approved methods, email-based age estimation stands out for its accuracy, privacy, and low-friction implementation—making it ideal for adult content sites seeking high compliance and low user drop-off.

✅ Technically Accurate

  • Certified under PAS 1296:2018 to EAL 3
  • 0% false positives in ACCS EAL level 3 testing
  • Accurately identifies age using only an email address

✅ Robust

  • Anti-spoofing via One Time Password (OTP)
  • Users must verify ownership of the email

✅ Reliable

  • Uses third-party identity signals
  • Aligned with Ofcom’s reliability framework

✅ Fair & Inclusive

  • 99.94% of users have email access
  • Bias-free and accessible across all demographics

✅ Commercially Viable

  • 73% of users prefer email checks over ID scans
  • Seamless integration with minimal drop-off

Seamless Compliance Without Losing Conversions

Unlike traditional ID verification methods, email-based age estimation is:

  • Fast and unobtrusive
  • Compliant with Ofcom and OSA
  • Privacy-preserving
  • Ideal for platforms already collecting email addresses

At 18Verified, we offer this solution along with:

  • Facial age estimation
  • Photo ID matching
  • Credit card checks
  • Mobile operator lookups

👉 Explore our age assurance solutions

Ofcom’s Enforcement Is Real – Act Now

Ofcom is actively contacting pornography providers and expects full compliance declarations by 5 March 2025. Sanctions for non-compliance include:

  • Regulatory fines
  • Criminal penalties
  • Platform takedown orders

Now is the time to upgrade to a highly effective, low-friction age assurance solution.

A Message from Our Team

Lina Ghazal, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs at Verifymy:

“As the Online Safety Act rolls out, 2025 must be a year where regulatory talk turns to action. Only effective implementation will drive real-world results.

At Verifymy, we are giving platforms the tools they need to meet regulatory requirements head-on—while protecting both children and adult users.”

Conclusion

The Online Safety Act is here—and Ofcom’s 2025 guidance makes it clear that adult platforms must act fast. With email-based age estimation, providers can meet all legal obligations without losing users, violating privacy, or disrupting revenue.

  • ✅ Fully compliant
  • ✅ Certified under PAS 1296
  • ✅ Preferred by users
  • ✅ Trusted by regulators

👉 Contact 18Verified today to stay ahead of regulation and protect your business.

Tags: Online Safety Act UK, Ofcom age assurance guidance, age verification for porn sites, email-based age estimation, PAS 1296 certified, adult site compliance 2025, Verifymy, 18Verified, frictionless age assurance, age verification software, UK porn regulation, OSA enforcement, digital identity UK

EU Releases Draft Guidelines to Protect Children Online Under the Digital Services Act

Posted on by admin@18verified

On 13th May 2025, the European Commission (EC) published its long-awaited draft guidelines on the protection of minors online under Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of age assurance, setting clear expectations for how digital platforms must assess and mitigate risks to children.

These guidelines not only reinforce the importance of age-appropriate design but also highlight the essential role of modern age verification and estimation tools in creating safer online spaces.

At 18Verified, we break down what the new EU guidelines mean, what your platform must do to comply, and how to stay ahead of the law while protecting your youngest users.

What Is the Digital Services Act (DSA)?

The Digital Services Act is a landmark EU regulation that came into force in 2024. It applies to all major online services operating within the European Union, including:

  • Social media platforms
  • Online marketplaces
  • User-generated content sites
  • Hosting services and search engines

The DSA’s primary goal is to make the internet safer and more transparent—especially for vulnerable groups like children and teenagers. Under Article 28, platforms must take proactive steps to protect minors from harmful content, exploitative advertising, and online grooming.

Key Points from the European Commission’s Guidelines

The May 2025 draft guidelines issued by the European Commission outline how Article 28 should be interpreted and enforced. Here are the major takeaways:

🔍 1. Risk-Based Approach

Platforms must identify and assess potential risks that their services pose to minors—including content exposure, interactions with adults, and algorithmic influence. Based on the level of risk, appropriate safeguards must be implemented.

🎯 2. Age-Appropriate Design

Platforms must tailor content, functionality, and advertising based on a user’s age group. This aligns closely with the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC) and reinforces the importance of creating child-safe digital experiences by design.

🔐 3. Age Assurance as a Legal Standard

The Commission confirms that age verification and estimation are crucial for meeting compliance obligations. Platforms are expected to implement solutions that are:

  • Accurate and proportionate
  • Privacy-preserving and GDPR-compliant
  • Fit for different levels of risk

Examples include:

  • Government ID checks
  • Credit reference data or SIM-based checks
  • AI-powered facial age estimation
  • Email and mobile phone metadata analysis

📢 4. Transparency, Controls & Reporting

Platforms must offer:

  • Clear reporting tools for abuse
  • Parental controls (where applicable)
  • Transparent moderation and algorithmic processes

Why This Matters Now

The release of these draft guidelines signals that compliance is no longer optional—it’s a requirement for doing business in the EU digital ecosystem.

The risks of inaction include:

  • Fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover
  • Platform takedowns or service restrictions
  • Reputational damage with users, investors, and regulators

The message is clear: protecting children online must be a platform priority.

How 18Verified Helps Platforms Meet DSA Compliance

At 18Verified, we offer cutting-edge, privacy-first age assurance technology that supports DSA compliance without compromising user experience.

Our solutions include:

  • ✅ Age Verification using government-issued ID, credit checks, mobile number verification, and payment methods
  • ✅ AI-Powered Facial Age Estimation — frictionless and anonymous
  • ✅ Email & Metadata-Based Estimation — lightweight and accurate
  • ✅ GDPR-compliant with no unnecessary data storage
  • ✅ Certified to PAS 1296:2018
  • ✅ Easy integration via API or plug-and-play options
  • ✅ Affordable subscription model — no pay-per-check pricing

Whether you’re a video-sharing platform, adult content site, social network, or online community, we help you stay compliant and protect your most vulnerable users.

Get Ready Before It’s Too Late

The EU is setting the global standard for online child safety, and the Digital Services Act will be strictly enforced. Platforms that fail to act risk severe penalties—not to mention the harm caused to real users.

Don’t wait until enforcement starts. Build safety and trust into your platform now.

👉 Learn how 18Verified supports EU and UK compliance
👉 Talk to our team today

Tags: Digital Services Act, Article 28 DSA, EU child safety, online child protection, European Commission age verification, age assurance tools, GDPR compliance, PAS 1296, AI facial estimation, 18Verified, online platform compliance, protect minors online, EU regulation 2025, digital risk assessment